A doctor in Kerala has gone on long leave while doctors boycotted out-patient wings for one hour on Friday to protest against the delay in arresting a police officer accused of assaulting a doctor at a government hospital in Alappuzha.
Dr Rahul Mathew of the Mavelikara government taluk hospital went on long leave in protest against the delay in arresting civil police officer Abhilash Chandran who was accused of assaulting the doctor.
Chandran allegedly assaulted Dr Mathew after the former's mother died at the hospital on May 14. Despite protest by the doctors, the accused was not yet arrested by the police. On Friday the accused was also learnt to have obtained anticipatory bail. He was earlier placed under suspension.
Kerala Government Medical Officers Association president Dr G S Vijayakrishnan said that Dr Mathew was upset over police inaction in the case. The police gave adequate time to the accused to move court and obtain anticipatory bail. The doctors would be forced to intensify the stir if stern actions were not initiated, he said.
Health Minister Veena George said in a statement that stern action would be taken against the accused.
Meanwhile, the police maintained that the accused was absconding. The police crime branch is investigating the case.
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(Published 25 June 2021, 15:00 IST)
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